The present invention relates to ammunition of the type including two separate charges; in particular a forward projectile charge including a projectile whose rear end extends far into the projectile charge and a rear primary charge.
An ammunition round of the above type, composed of two separate ammunition components, is disclosed in commonly owned published European Patent Application No. 0,429,753 published Jun. 5, 1991, corresponding to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/618,565, filed Nov. 27, 1990, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,240.
In modern, large-caliber ammunition, the drive systems become so long and heavy that they are divided into a forward ammunition component into whose nose the projectile is inserted, and a rear ammunition component in order to make it easier for the soldier to handle the ammunition at the weapon.
Ammunition constructed of separate parts, i.e. a projectile and a propelling charge, is already known for large-caliber artillery ammunition. In such ammunition, the propelling charges are transported in a propelling charge container and, once the projectile has been loaded, are removed from the transporting container and conveyed to the charge chamber of the weapon behind the projectile. The propelling charges are composed cf individual partial charges which are disposed, for example, in interconnected propelling charge bags. The component of such an ammunition round on the side of the projectile has no separate propelling charge casing so that, in such an arrangement, the problem of ignition transfer from the propelling charge to another portion of the ammunition does not occur.
In modern artillery ammunition, propelling charge modules in cylindrical containers made of a combustible material are also employed instead of the interconnected propelling charge bags. European Patent No. 0,227,671.B1 and corresponding U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,702,167 and 4,864,932 disclose such a propelling charge module--wherein the individual modules have a free coaxial ignition channel. The free ignition channel is disposed within an ignition charge in the propelling charge module so that the ignition of the individual modules occurs centrally throughout. The problem of additional circumferential ignition therefore does not exist in such propelling charge modules.
Federal Republic of Germany published patent application No. DE-3,442,741.A1, published May 27, 1986, relates to a charge arrangement for cartridged ammunition including a propelling charge casing and a projectile inserted therein. A propelling charge igniter surrounded by a booster charge ring is fastened at the bottom of the casing. Moreover, a propelling charge is provided which is composed of loose powder and is coaxially surrounded by a transfer charge composed of a tubular propellant which lies directly against the interior wall of the propelling charge casing.
This charge configuration serves to provide for easy installation of projectiles that extend far into the propelling charge casing. The annular booster charge is ignited by an igniter charge and then ignites the loose powder disposed in front of the booster charge and the tubular propellant lying against the wall of the propelling charge casing. The entire loose powder charge is thus ignited by the tubular propellant radially from the outside over a large area. The problem of igniting separate propelling charges through the propelling charge casing material therefore does not occur in such a charge arrangement.